Ataxia
by Love.Hazard
Summary: Naruto wakes up to a world devastated by an unknown catastrophe. In his fight for survival, Naruto befriends a group of survivors and struggles to remain human in a world that's anything but. KibaNaru in the future. AU. Chapter 4 in the works!
1. Awake

Ataxia

1

_Pandemonium and blood flooded the streets that day. Bodies toppled from buildings. Gunfire echoed across steel canyons. What else could they do? They were doomed. And they all knew it. Death was their only escape._

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There was darkness and a faint glow. Debris was scattered across the cold concrete flooring. Cracks ran across the ceiling haphazardly. The foundations had begun to buckle. The building was sturdy. Sturdy enough to withstand the impact, but the forces of time and nature had begun to break the building down. The cold, dark room was once a bastion of safety. It was a place for the fortunate to wait for the darkness to pass. The darkness passed. But the devastation was too great. It couldn't be undone.

The dark room suddenly flickered to life. The faint green glow was overpowered by a flashing red light and a screeching alarm. The device was, in fact, a large vertical tube. Contained in the green liquid was a human being. The teenage boy twitched, his blonde hair swaying in the life-preserving liquid. The machine ceased its alarm and began to erratically belch out a synthesized woman's voice.

"Power r-r-reserves h-have been exhausted. I-i-i-initiating emergen-gency evacuation sequence." The machine made a high-pitched squealing noise as the glass chamber opened suddenly, spilling the contents onto the floor. Blonde and all.

The teen hit the floor hard, causing him to groan loudly in pain. He was naked and covered in the fluids that were once contained in the tube. The smell was disgusting, and it caused him to vomit and cough up the liquids. He gasped and inhaled for as much air as he could take in; occasionally coughing up more of the green fluid onto the concrete floor.

Once he had control of his breathing, the teen slowly began to stand up. He was shaking and trembling, and the simple act of standing up was painful on his weakened body. He wrapped his arms around his chest and took a glance at the puddle on the floor, then back at the tube he had fallen from. Etched on the top of the frame was a number followed by a name. His name.

#6842: Naruto U.

"N…Nar….u….to?" The words fell sloppily out of his mouth, as if speaking for the first time. His voice was ragged, so he coughed and cleared his throat in an attempt to soften his scratchy voice.

"My…my name is…Naruto." He was slightly relieved that his ability to speak had returned to normal. However, his concern returned when he realized he didn't know what the "U" stood for. Or how he'd gotten there in the first place. He knew the "U" represented his last name…and he knew there was a very important reason for him being there. He just couldn't _remember_. It was a strange feeling. It was a mixture of sadness and frustration. He struggled to remember, but it was lost. He searched the recesses of his mind, but he simply couldn't remember.

After a good five minutes of deep concentration, he remembered that he was still nude and dripping in green goo. He looked around the room and spotted a faded yellow arrow emblazoned on the floor. It directed his vision to a slightly-ajar door on the opposite end of the room. Cautiously, he approached the door, his bare feet making soft sounds on the concrete floor as he left a trail of liquid behind him.

He peeked through the small opening through the door and spotted nothing. Slowly, he opened the heavy metal door. It made a creaking noise as its rusted hinges struggled to push the door open. Much to his surprise, a series of lights flickered to life as he stepped into the room. He jumped slightly when one crackled and burned out.

He observed the large room and noted that it strikingly resembled a high school locker room. Complete with showers. His heart skipped a beat at the mere sight of the stalls. He felt dirty, like years worth of dirt and grime had clung to him like a parasite. Stupid goo.

As he approached the showers, he couldn't help but notice the disorderly state of the building. He hadn't really taken in how dilapidated the facility was. This made him worry even more. Would the showers even work? How long had this building been here exactly? And how long had _he _been here?

He reached for the nearest faucet and turned it slowly, hoping for water to emerge from the faucet. Nothing. He tried the next stall. No luck again. He sighed and tried the third faucet, hoping desperately for some water. The blonde about squealed when water burst forth from the faucet. It was cold, but he didn't care. He scrubbed himself and was delighted to see the sticky substance falling from his body and into the drain. He drank from the showerhead and gargled it in his mouth. His tongue and throat had been dry up until that point and the water was nothing short of sweet relief.

Eventually, the blonde reluctantly turned off the water and emerged from the stall. He observed himself and relished in what a little water could do for his self-esteem. He felt more confident and had a newfound strength inside him. The blonde scoured the locker room and was pleased to discover a towel. He dried himself and recovered an outfit from one of the open lockers. The orange jumpsuit fit snugly around him, and he looked himself over, satisfied with the way he looked.

Refreshed and rejuvenated, the blonde felt more confident and pressed forward into the next room. Wrappers, bottles, and other containers lay scattered across the floor amidst rubble of varying degree. He knelt over and inspected the various containers. He was hit with disappointment when he realized they had once held food and water. The mere thought of food made his stomach turn over.

Slowly pressing forward, he made his way down a long, winding corridor to an old rusty elevator. Seeing no other path in the facility, he reluctantly stepped onto the creaking elevator and pressed a green button. The elevator jolted to life and slowly crept up the elevator shaft.

After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator stopped at another long corridor. The blonde breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped off the elevator and into the dark tunnel. Light fixtures dangled haphazardly from the ceiling and the floors and walls were in a similar state of disrepair.

The teen pressed through the corridor, carefully avoiding anything that might cause him discomfort or injury. The end of the corridor held nothing but a large door. Curious, he attempted to push it open. It moved, but not very far. This time, he pressed his entire body against the door and pushed with all his might. It budged a little further, but not enough for the door to fully open. A bright light rushed in through the small opening, lighting up the length of the corridor.

Again, the blonde pressed against the door. This time, the weight of the door buckled against him, causing it to swivel open and send him sprawling to the ground. He squinted against the bright light and felt a familiar texture against his hands. Dirt.

He adjusted his eyes slowly to the light. The sun warmed his cool skin, sending goose bumps up his arms and back. The blonde squinted and observed the landscape before him. He fell back and was at a complete loss for words.

Before him were crumbling buildings, collapsed highways, and overgrowth that penetrated the last remnants of man. Before him lied a wasteland.

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**A/N: **Well there you have it, chapter one. I apologize for not making it very exciting or interesting. I hope it satisfactorily set up the story for you guys. I'm a terrible writer. XD Anyway, I really hope you all enjoyed. Reviews are very much appreciated. :)


	2. Desolate

Ataxia

2

_The impact shook the very foundations of the Earth. Stone cracked, trees splintered, and buildings swayed like blades of grass in the wind. A wall of fire smoldered and scorched the once blue planet. The cacophony alone would have been enough to drive a man mad.  
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The blonde wiped his eyes with his dirt-obscured hands, hoping to God that what he was seeing wasn't real. It was. Hoards of twisted metal piled carelessly atop shattered glass and broken concrete, buildings leaned dangerously over one another, and the landscape was void of life. It was a barren wasteland; sentience replaced by the bare ruins of a once proud civilization.

The sun showed brightly in the sky as the wind generated plumes of dust across the barren wilderness. Only the most persistent of plant life grew from the desert landscape. The stark-green tendrils danced gently in the wind amidst the dust and sediment. The wind cast a deathly shadow on the panorama in front of the teen. It was quiet. The silence alone sent chills crawling up the length of Naruto's spine.

A small tear formed out of Naruto's left eye. It trailed down his cheek, leaving a murky path along the dirt that had formed across his face. The sediment wasn't the source of Naruto's distress; it was the memory that had suddenly bloomed inside his mind. He remembered this place. He went to college here. The city bustled with activity during the day; its streets filled with conversation and laughter. The skyline gleamed against the sunlight, and clouds reflected from glass surfaces. At night, it shown like a jewel; it was a shimmering beacon amidst a sea of darkness. God himself would have been entranced by its beauty.

Much to the teen's dismay, he couldn't remember the name of the city. It echoed in his head, but the memory cloaked itself in the recesses of his mind. Slowly, he wiped the tear, and most of the dirt, onto his orange sleeve. He shook his head and breathed a sigh. Composure. That's what he needed right now.

Not knowing what else to do, he decided it was best to head into the city's remains. Maybe he would find someone, or, at the very least, some food to supplant his ever-growing hunger. He took one final look at the chamber that once offered him security, and began his trek into the deserted city.

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The sun had shifted drastically since removing himself from the chamber entrance, but the daylight was sufficient enough for Naruto to scour a few blocks of the city before night fell. The long trek from the chamber had taken its toll on the blonde; sheer curiosity and the strong desire to find food pushed him onward. The likelihood that he would find food dwindled with every step he took into the city. Nothing was spared.

The emptiness was haunting and devastating. Questions raced through the blonde's mind. What the hell had happened? How long ago had it happened? Why was he spared from the doom the rest of the world had faced? Why _had _he survived? The last question in particular hit home. He had been put into that chamber. Someone clearly knew what was going to happen and had gone out of their way to protect him. What was so damned important about _him_? A feeling of overwhelming guilt washed over him. He had survived in the comfort of his own dreams while the world lived out a hellish nightmare, waiting for their own inevitable deaths. However, he wasn't certain if it was the world or him that had been lucky.

Naruto was aroused from his thoughts by the sound of creaking metal. He glanced in the direction of the noise as the wind spiraled around him. Nothing. He could've sworn it wasn't the wind. It sounded like footsteps over a palette of thin metal. For a moment, he just stood there, trying to figure out his options. Could it have possibly been a survivor?

"Hello?" His call was pleading, desperate. The emptiness of the world had worn its welcome. The mere sight of another person would greatly aid his ever-declining morale. Cautiously, yet with a hint of eagerness, he approached the folds of metal and concrete, hoping that another human being had somehow made a living in this God-forsaken wasteland.

"Hello? Please…I don't know what's going on here. I need help." Naruto's voice crackled mid-sentence. His despair was more apparent than the first time he spoke. He was genuinely terrified. In his mind, he was begging God to send him a living soul, anything to prove that he wasn't the only one living in this world.

Slowly, a shadow emerged from behind the rubble, its clawed feet clanking against the pile of rusted metal. What Naruto saw made him gasp. Before him was no man or beast of nature. This thing was unnatural. It was a deformed monster.

It walked on all fours; patches of fur dotted its otherwise bald skin. Segments of dark, plated skin encrusted the head, and vicious black spikes protruded from its back. Red, hungry eyes stared lustily after the blonde alongside long, serrated, salivating fangs. Atop its metal perch, the monster screeched at Naruto. The unearthly sound caused him to wince in pain.

"Oh shit…oh shit." Naruto muttered to himself. This was _not_ what he had in mind. The teen took a step back, the beast following in step. It hissed at him and took another step down the metal pile, its glare intently focused on him. _Shit_. Naruto did the first thing that came to mind; he ran. He ran for his life. His heart-rate soared when he heard the thing screech after him. He heard its footsteps against his. There was no way he would outrun this thing. A pair of claws dug into his back, sending him painfully into the ground.

He flipped over in a desperate attempt to force the monstrosity off of him. He flailed wildly, his fists slamming painfully into its face. The beast wasn't phased; it merely swept a claw across his face in an attempt to disarm its prey. Pain burned across his face, and he felt trails of blood run down his cheeks.

It was over. The beast hissed at his face, its ungodly breath smelled of blood and flesh. He was next. Accepting his fate, Naruto closed his eyes. He would soon join the ranks of those that had expired in the disaster. He would no longer feel guilt, fear, or pain. _Just kill me already._

The next few moments were a blur. There was a deep growl, and suddenly the weight on top of him had vanished. There were the sounds of a struggle. Then silence. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. The setting sun was obscured by a familiar shadow. It was a dog. A _big_ dog. The dog, soaked in blood, curiously sniffed the blonde's face, then licked him. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank you sweet Jesus Christ._ His musings were interrupted by the dog's sudden howl. Naruto sat up as the dog continued its victorious howling. He looked around and noted the bloody mess that was once his predator. The dog had utterly mutilated it.

"Akamaru? There you are! Why'd ya run off like tha…" The voice trailed off. Naruto whipped his head in the other direction. He couldn't believe it. Standing a few yards away was a human being. The boy was his age, with ruffled brown hair and lightly-tanned skin. Purple markings stretched across his cheeks underneath his brilliant, brown eyes. Dirt was patched across his brown shirt, the colors melding sickeningly together. For a moment they just stood there, unable to believe what they were seeing. There was only the sound of the wind, and the heavy panting of the dog.

"Who…who are you?" Naruto instinctively asked. Despite the fact that there were a zillion other questions, their importance probably being more significant, he was genuinely curious as to the other boy's identity.

Another familiar screeching noise erupted from the distance. Followed by another…and another. Within moments, screeching noises echoed across the desolate city as the sun began to set.

"Name's Kiba Inuzuka, and we have to go. Now." The brunette spoke with a clearly-defined urgency. And with that, the blonde was lifted to his feet by the brunette as they broke into a desperate run.

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**A/N: **Chapter two! I wrote this pretty fast. Which happens to be a big deal, thank you very much. :P I'd like to extend my gratitude to musical geniuses Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for providing me with a certain movie soundtrack to help me write. Reviews are VERY much appreciated. Thanks for reading!


	3. Angel

Ataxia

3

_Then there was silence. Plumes of dust darkened the skies as the world fell into a quiet chill. Not a single soul stirred. The silence would have been more deafening than the impact._

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Naruto struggled to keep pace with the brunette. The attack, mixed with his hunger, had drained him both physically and emotionally. The only thing keeping him from collapsing to the ground was blind fear. He was _not _going to let one of those creatures get near him again.

After what seemed like an eternity of running, the two boys and Akamaru reached the edge of a blown-out building. There was a pile of rubble ascending the building, and about midway there was a shack surrounded by a haphazardly-made fence. Rusted pipes and other material were put together in a hurried fashion, but it looked sturdy enough. Naruto hoped that it was enough to keep those things out.

"Come on, we're really close! Hurry and get your ass up here!" Kiba shouted down to Naruto, who had begun to fall behind.

The blond was breathing heavily, and didn't bother to respond to the brunette's remark. His aching body slowly ascended the large rubble pile. Though the amount of screeching had plummeted, there was still the occasional wail of anger from the creatures to encourage Naruto's broken body to climb faster.

"Hurry, inside!" Kiba yelled as he opened a small gate.

Naruto practically fell inside the small compound as Kiba and Akamaru hurriedly followed, nearly tripping over the blond. Kiba rebounded towards the fence and looked over the city, trying to determine if any of the monsters had followed them to the building. Naruto merely coughed and groaned in pain. He didn't notice until now how badly the scratches across his face really hurt.  
When Kiba breathed a sigh of relief, Naruto felt slightly more at ease. They were safe. At least, for now. The brunette jumped down next to Naruto and stared at him intensely.

"What the hell is your problem? Are you stupid or something? Only an idiot would enter the city unarmed…and don't even get me started on your lack of subtlety. You were practically begging for those Hunters to rip you apart. Well? What do you have to say for yourself, kid?"

Naruto merely stared back, his eyes glossy from the tears that were beginning to form. He was so lost and confused. He just wished this was all some terrible nightmare. And he would wake up at any moment.

"I…I don't know what's happening. What should I do?"

Kiba blinked and scratched the back of his head. He sighed and flashed a small smile at the other boy.  
"Listen…sorry 'bout that. My temper tends to get the best of me. Here, let me help you get that cleaned up."

Kiba gently tapped Naruto's right cheek, which made the blond wince in pain. Kiba shook his head and went into the small shack. After a few moments he emerged with a small box. It was a first-aid kit. "This might sting. Just hang tight, man."

Slowly, Kiba cleaned the scratches on Naruto's cheeks and tended to any other wounds he may have had. When he was finished, he closed the kit and smiled.  
"There. Good as new. Well…you're gonna have those scars for a while. But I think they're neat…kinda like whiskers. Hehe." Kiba said, rather unsurely.

Naruto flashed him a courtesy smile and nodded. Admittedly, he was feeling better than he had earlier today. He was truly grateful he had met another human…let alone a human _and _a dog. In the corner of the compound, Akamaru yawned and rested his head on a leg.

"So…care to explain yourself? There's gotta be some reason for your carelessness…confusion…thing." Kiba said unsurely again as he reached into the shack for an unseen object.

Naruto puzzled over what to say. He didn't really have much he wanted to tell, but rather, wanted to ask. As he brainstormed a way to explain himself, the other boy emerged from the shack, sat across from him, and handed Naruto a water bottle. This boy was a _saint_. He chugged the water bottle in no time.

"Jeez…slow down. Don't want you chokin', or anything. So…what's your story?"

Naruto gulped down the last bit of water and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. He sighed and ran his hand through his golden, if slightly matted, hair. He was still unsure of what to say.

"Honestly…I have no idea. I don't remember anything. I don't even know what's happened here." He looked around at the devastation and lifelessness of a world long ago. The memory was there, in the back of his mind. Yet, it seemed so far away.

Kiba was in state of disbelief. He raised an unsure eyebrow at Naruto as he took another gulp of water.

"You're joking right? This is the way things have been for as long as I can remember."

"That's impossible. I went to school here…a while ago. I remember this place. Before it was like this."  
Kiba snorted and tossed his water bottle aside.

"No. What _you're_ saying is impossible. Granted, there have been stories passed down of a time when the world was green and skies blue. But everyone knows it's just a legend our parents told us at night. You should empty your head of such nonsense…where did you say you were from again?"  
Kiba's statement only exacerbated Naruto's confusion.

"I didn't. I woke up earlier today…in this dark room. I fell out of this tube and…"  
Kiba's eyes widened. He shot up and stared down at the blond.

"No way. You're lyin'. That _can't _be true."  
Naruto sighed. Was there anything this kid didn't believe? Was there any reasoning for Naruto to be untrue to him? Naruto's confusion was beginning to turn to frustration.

"Jesus, Kiba. Everything I've just told you is true. I don't remember anything. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on…maybe you can give me a little slack, here? It's been a long day."

"It's true, then? I can't believe it…the rumors are true! You're an Angel."  
Naruto was caught off guard by this. He tried to hide the growing warmth in his face.

"E-excuse me?"

"An Angel. There have been rumors of people emerging from caves…people who were, rumored of course, to have been born during the time of peace. People with power. My God, I can't believe this…can you take me to where you woke up?"

"Well…sure." Naruto shrugged. "It's a few miles outside of the city…anyway, what makes me so spec…"  
"Wait…outside the city? How the hell did you get here undetected?"  
"What do you mean? I just walked."  
"You should consider yourself lucky…if Gato's lackeys had found you…"

"Gato?" Naruto questioned.  
"Yeah…he heads a gang of idiots who have laid claim to this region. My clan's been at war with him for some time…the Hunter breeding season must be throwing off their patrols. Perfect."

"Wait…did I miss something?" Naruto scratched his head.

"Listen, I was sent here about a month ago to scavenge food and other supplies for my clan. Turns out, this place was a bust. Gato's patrols and the Hunters have prevented me from escaping, but this might work. If you can take me to that Angel facility, I could gather enough supplies to give my clan a slight edge over Gato. And I would owe you big time. Whaddaya say?"  
Naruto sighed again.

"I wasn't there for long, but I didn't see much food there…you might be disappointed with what you find."

Kiba smiled and patted Naruto on the shoulder.

"Listen, Angel…I'm a master scavenger. You'd be surprised what you could do with the smallest of things."

"Did you just call me 'Angel'?"

"It's my new nickname for you. Get used to it." Kiba winked playfully.  
"Great." Naruto pretended to dislike it on the outside, but he secretly enjoyed it.

"So are you in?" Kiba asked, holding out his hand.  
Naruto took a second look at the devastation. He had been unfairly plucked from his own world and placed in this one. He was in a completely different place with different rules. He wasn't going to be a helpless sucker anymore.

He flashed a devilish smile at Kiba and reached out his hand. He was going to kick this world's ass.

"Let's do it."

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**A/N: **I'm so sorry it took me this long. I wish I had some excuse like 'I was busy with school' or something. That's just flat-out untrue. I was lazy, and I hate myself for it. Sorry for keeping you guys waiting. Your reviews are appreciated, and your comments inspired me to keep this thing going. I'm very grateful for the help you give me in refining my story. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you look forward to the next one. I'll try to hurry up on that one. Thanks again. I love you all. :)


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